


LOCKED IN YOUR HEART

by SQUISHSUNGS



Category: Mamamoo, ONEWE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Modern Royalty, Runaway Prince, and life, as in i find myself hilarious thank you very much, dumb ideas are the way to go, giwook and dongmyeong are just vibing, harin is stressed, lots of philosophizing about society, prince kanghyun, singer yonghoon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:28:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SQUISHSUNGS/pseuds/SQUISHSUNGS
Summary: Crown Prince Kang Hyungu had reached his limits. He'd lost faith in himself for ever being able to fit into the royal mold. For years on end has he attempted to prove himself unfitting in the most subtle ways possible, but it seems his parents need bold action; breaking the rules to avoid the throne.However, the only way one can do that is by marrying behind Their Royal Majesties' back. Thus, with the help of some friends,  began Hyungu's quest to finding his one in a million.
Relationships: Jin Yonghoon/Kang Hyungu | Kanghyun
Comments: 9
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i absolutely adore runaway royalty aus and i also adore onewe. kanghyun gives me prince vibes, so that's how the pieces fell together. 
> 
> in my opinion, compared to my other works, this one's pretty light-hearted and pretty fast-paced too. i don't know anything about romance, maybe that's why.
> 
> anywho, enjoy :)

Hyungu almost screeched in joy as he sprinted down the streets with such speed, that the lit shopping windows blurred into strings of yellow. He could hear the guards call his name from behind, however the wind in his ears blurred out their yells. He jumped over a trashcan – he could’ve ran around it, but at the moment he lived his life as the protagonist of an action movie –, turning around he shot his dozen of tail-chasers finger guns and a wink.

“Prince Kang Hyungu! Stop right there!”

_No can do,_ he sang in his head, very aware of how much he sounded like a brat. He couldn’t care less in that moment; he’d had his fair share of being told off and he wasn’t putting up with it any longer. He was nineteen; a little late to have a teenage rebellion, but he’d been putting it off for the entirety of his adolescence. He too had a breaking point; his glass had cracked under the pressure.

He gave that one guard in particular a sweet salute, before dashing off again. Truthfully he had no clue where he was heading or where he was in the first place; he didn’t go out much. He also didn’t work out a lot and his pitiful excuse of a stamina was finally succumbing to the overexertion. Listening to the tightening of his throat and the heavy banging of his heart against his ribcage, he knew that if he didn’t manage to find a great escape route anytime soon, he’d be doomed for sure. Caught, locked up, scolded.

“Prince Hyungu, stop running!”

He vaguely remembered from his studies that gazelles ran in zigzags to lose their predators behind them. Hyungu decided it was time to explore if the theory was correct; his situation wasn’t that different from a gazelle being hunted down, if he were asked about it.

Left, right, left, right. He sincerely hoped the bloodhounds were getting dizzy by now. He surely was; the lack of oxygen was catching up to him. Sprinting into an alleyway, he entered the first building that seemed to be open. He had to squirm his way through the crowd of people. The sweaty bodies brushed past his skin, leaving a sticky after-stench. He grimaced, but he’d endure anything if it meant he could enjoy his sweet escape a little longer.

He snorted to himself, having a little indoor fun moment with himself. They were probably panicking now: ‘Oh no! Where’s the prince?!’ ‘How can we return to the castle without him?!’ ‘It was only a simple event! All he had to do was cut a ribbon, how could we lose him?!’ ‘We’ll get fired at this rate!’

He was aware that they were only doing what they were assigned and that they deserved nothing of his torture, but the staff just so happened to be the only ones he could project his irritation on. Somewhere, deep down, he knew he was mean. He’d apologize. One day.

He wandered over to a booth. It smelled strongly of stale beer – not that Hyungu recognized the scent. No, the prince _only_ drank the finest of wine and champagne. That was a joke. Prince Kang Hyungu was no angel; he and Harin, son of a duke and his life-long friend, had had their fair share of secret shenanigans. Sneaking in alcohol was one of them, dyeing their hair in outrageous colors. Making the staffs’ jobs harder than they actually were was a hobby they recently took on. Teens were curious about the evil of the world and even thick, sturdy castle walls couldn’t stop them.

The area barely lit. The only things providing light were the fairy lights dangling from the walls and the spotlights at their impromptu ‘stage’. He seemed to have barged in during a performance, right in the middle of it. He admired the instruments first; growing up, taking music classes had been obligatory. However, piano hadn’t stuck, nor did any classically upper class instrument. Violins, cellos, hell, even a double bass; he’d flunked them all.

Instead of those, his true passion lay by the guitar. At first his parents, the almighty king and queen, weren’t too keen on the idea. However, later on they were relieved enough that their son had actually found something inside the musical field. They let it slide.

He hadn’t only found something inside the musical field, he had felt a connection, a calling. After his royal duties, endless classes where he learned about society and Chinese, he’d lock himself up in his room practicing. Passionate; that was what passion felt like, as far as he knew.

Sadly, he’d have to let that go sooner or later.

Instead of thinking those sad thoughts, Hyungu let the sweet melody consume him with closed eyes. He didn’t like judging based on looks; looks could be misleading and superficial. So also titles, positions, gestures. Never judge a book by its cover. The best books in his collection lacked cover design.

The singer’s voice was bright and strong. He could switch between tones and feels easily and gradually, that the one listening hadn’t even noticed the progression. He poured his feelings out when he sung, Hyungu noticed. Beforehand he must’ve read the lyrics and interpreted the way he believed the original artist wanted their message to be portrayed. This song in particular had been a little too slow-paced for a bar, but it could’ve been aimed at the heartbroken drunks that littered the place’s seats like tossed away cigarette butts.

Finally, he decided to see who was the face behind the voice. The light from above fell on his features as a sunbeam breaking through the thick clouds. The round spectacles he wore cast a shadow on his cheeks. His facial structure was strong and pronounced, mature. His brunette fringe, in an attempt to brush it back, hung in front of his eyes. It only added to the adult aura he had around him. He was as mesmerizing as he had sounded.

“You’re really enjoying Yonghoon’s performance, aren’t you?”

Hyungu turned his head to the right with a fast twist, that he felt his neck joints snap at the sudden motion. Keeping his composure, he hissed away the pain and observed who had spoken to him. It was a young boy, voice slightly nasal. His eyes were shaped like a cat’s, lazily observant, yet fierce and sly at the same time.

Hyungu straightened his back. “Is it me you’re speaking to?”

“We’re the only ones in the boot and you’re the only one looking star struck here,” the boy replied, brushing his long brown hair behind his ears. He turned to the person next to him. “Right, Giwook?”

“You’re making him uncomfortable, Myeong,” ‘Giwook’ said, placing a gentle slap on ‘Myeong’s’ bicep. It seemed as if he wished his bucket hat would swallow him up; he soaked up all Myeong’s embarrassment like a sponge.

“Ah, sorry, did I?” Myeong spoke with a lopsided grin. “I didn’t mean to. I was just honored by how invested you were in his performance. Usually people just come here to get wasted, but you seem to actually be enjoying the music.”

“It’s alright,” Hyungu waved it off. “It was a little bit of an… accident that I walked into a bar, but I definitely do not regret it. Above that, I’m a musician myself.”

“What are you guys talking about?” The cushions sighed under a sudden weight. It was the same velvety voice from the songs that played. “Oh, who’s this?”

“Oh my, we haven’t even introduced ourselves! I’m Dongmyeong!” Myeong – or Dongmyeong, apparently – exclaimed. “Wah… I really must’ve taken you by surprise!”

“It’s really fine, Dongmyeong.” Hyungu smiled as the name rolled off his tongue. Knowing someone’s name was one thing, but addressing them with them felt like really knowing them. Aside from Harin, he’d always had to call people by their titles. Lord, lady, and he himself always got called ‘your majesty’. He wanted to barf just hearing it rumble up his brain.

“Giwook.” The boy smiled after his introduction, his cheeks puffing out cutely. His eyes sparkled too. “Dongmyeong already told, but I thought I should tell you too.” He nodded at the newest member of their booth. “He also spilled your name already.”

Yonghoon did a short wave. “Well, I’m Yonghoon. You?”

“I’m… Kanghyun,” Hyungu responded cautiously. He wasn’t sure how many citizens were interested in the royal family, but he wasn’t going to risk a potential friendship outside of status.

“You seem familiar,” Yonghoon mumbled. He placed his hand under his chin and stuck his tongue out in a thinking manner. “Have you been here before, Kanghyun?”

Under the pressure of the brunet’s fixated gaze and the way his pseudonym had left his mouth momentarily silenced Hyungu. He wasn’t much of a talker and eyes on him made him _very_ self-conscious – not an ideal trait to have when his main job was to be a subject of the public’s eye. He enjoyed his time alone; an introvert at heart and easily overwhelmed. The last part might’ve been because for as long as he can remember, he’s had a camera shoved into his personal life. He couldn’t even sing _Deck the halls_ without the entire population cooing over how cute his five-year-old self was.

“No, I’m fairly new to this town. Getting out of my parents’ faces for a while.”

Yonghoon reached for the bottle of water on the table. “Moved out?”

“Not quite… yet,” Hyungu vaguely mumbled. “It’s a complicated situation.”

“Aha…” Yonghoon nodded. He slammed down his drink and pointed at the blond with a knowing smile. “You’re on the run, aren’t you?”

The two others gasped in surprise, as if they were watching a drama’s plot unfold. Dongmyeong even covered his dropped jaw. They leaned in closer, awaiting the boy’s response.

“What makes you believe that?” Hyungu coolly inquired, leaning back with his arms crossed. There came a variety of reactive sounds from his right side and he wondered how much more dramatic they could get if he dropped the entire truth. He wouldn’t, though, never willingly.

“A complicated situation in which the individual, _you_ ,” he motioned at Hyungu to make clear for all who he was talking about, “are getting out of your parents’ faces for a while. Sounds like a runaway case to me.”

“I’m heading home later, so it wouldn’t be considered running away,” Hyungu stubbornly objected. “I just had a fair blast, spreading worry and discomfort.”

“Sure looks like it,” Yonghoon mumbled, seemingly to himself, but still loud enough for the boy to hear.

Hyungu’s expression remained blank, not a single nerve pulled. “Are you implying I disheveled?”

“You look like you blasted for your life,” Yonghoon confirmed.

Hyungu unconsciously ran a hand through his hair and straightened his collar.

“You sing very well,” he quickly interjected. There was no point turning the conversation to himself if he had nothing to share. “Your voice is rather… immaculate, I’d like to say.”

Yonghoon nodded with a tight grin, pretending he had a clue what _immaculate_ meant. He’d assume it was a compliment, considering Kanghyun had given him one shortly before. “Thanks.”

They all sat in silence for a moment. Then Dongmyeong spoke, “Our shift ends in a few minutes.” He leaned over to Hyungu, shielding the right side of his mouth, and whispered, ”During this time is when they all get too wasted to even listen to us, so they just play the radio.” He cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back centric. “What about we take Kanghyun around for a while?”

“At this time?” Giwook asked, bewildered.

“Now is when you can actually see the area,” Dongmyeong defended his offer. He raised an eyebrow, daring anyone to go against him.

Giwook rolled his eyes, though rather than irritated it seemed as more playful. “Then, when your parents scold you for stumbling in at an ungodly hour, it’s all on you.”

“Deal.”

Coming to their agreement, the two shook hands. Instead of ending a meaningless discussion, it seemed as if they had enclosed a business deal. They even turned to the others in the booth, both sticking up a thumb as if posing for a picture for a newspaper. Hyungu, in that short period of time, had developed quite a fondness of the two youngster. Not that he was _that_ old.

“It’s not as if I can go out during the daytime,” Hyungu opted lightly, though his stomach felt as if lead had been dropped in it.

“What type of household do you live in?” Giwook questioned. He had his lips pursed, his eyes set in curious worry. “It sounds like a prison. No wonder you’re fleeing.”

Hyungu brushed his bangs out of his eyes and laughed humorlessly and softly, as if he shared an inside joke with himself. “It does, doesn’t it.”

No one really dared to dive deeper into the topic, seeing as the air around the blond had turned gloomily blue. He seemed stuck in a memory, though still remained poised and smiling.

“We’ll gather our stuff. Be back in a minute, so just stay put,” Yonghoon announced, patting Hyungu’s shoulder and disappearing through a door labeled ‘STAFF’.

As Yonghoon had ordered him, Hyungu stayed put. His knees were pressed together, hands resting on them. The bar seemed to be a popular one; it was crowded beyond his belief and the only reason he could find a spot was because he’d crashed the performers’ unofficial one. He didn’t necessarily enjoy being surrounded by drunk people, but he loved the carefree and liberal ambiance in the air.

The funny thing about being intoxicated was that every idea seemed like a good one and that common sense had been thrown out of the window a long while back. It was a funny situation; all the worries were tomorrow’s problems and all the decisions their regrets.

So was Hyungu sat there on that night; impulsively on a flee from life and responsibilities. He knew that the next morning he’d face the consequences. He could already hear his father’s angry accusations, so loudly the entire nation would be able to feel the ground rumble underneath. He could hear his mother’s disappointed sighs. At least Harin would high-five him for his moronic idea. He gave himself a pat on the back for that one.

“Ready to go?” Yonghoon’s smooth voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Ah, yeah.” The blond stood up and dusted off his suit – he’d taken off the jacket somewhere during his tremendous escapade. He’d find it on the way back, he hoped. He felt older than his age, wearing slacks and dress shoes, like an old business man on his third marriage.

“Giwook and Dongmyeong are somewhere out there,” the brunet explained, waving vaguely into some direction Hyungu couldn’t make out. “I told them to go ahead.”

“Ah, alright,” Hyungu nodded. He breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly: he was ready to challenge the sea of bodies.

Right as he was about to jump in, he got taken by the wrist, gently and full of care. He looked up to meet the singer’s sweet smile.

Yonghoon bobbed his head to the back. “We’re taking the staff’s exit. You’ve been provided with a grand privilege, just so you know. You better start thinking of ways to repay us for this.”

Hyungu rolled his eyes at the statement, though he had to say that it was a new experience to have an outsider act like a superior. It was a new spice among the bowed down heads and splutters of admiration.

“I’ll give you my friendship, how does that sound?” Hyungu offered. He let Yonghoon lead him out of the door.

“Kanghyunnie, I’d be honored,” Yonghoon dramatically replied, laying a hand on his chest at how touched he was. The door behind them fell shut, “but you have to stop pretending to be all cool and tough.”

The night air – or early morning. Hyungu had checked his watch and it had been a little over 2am – hit him in the face like a punch. The early moments of spring had always been that way; deceiving warmth under the sun, but as soon as it set it was a winter’s cold. He shivered, though not wanting to appear as a wimp he instead pretending he was actual stretching his sore limbs.

“Perhaps I’m in constant state of cluelessness,” he groaned.

“Even the way you speak… So distant…” Yonghoon had it in him to be even more dramatic than he already was. He could’ve fainted out of so-displayed pain and the blond wouldn’t have been astonished in the slightest.

“Where to?” Hyungu sighed to anyone but Yonghoon. The sigh was aimed at him, the question wasn’t.

“Nowhere,” Dongmyeong joined in.

“What he means is that we’re going to show you some of the best places,” Giwook clarified, picking up on the blond’s perplex. “Nothing’s open anyway. We’ll just stroll till home calls for our presence.”

To say Hyungu was fascinated was an understatement. For the longest time he only could admire the town’s streets from photographs his tutor had showed him and on the annual sitting-in-the-carriage-waving-event. The commoners like to –creatively – call it _Royal Day_ , as it was one of the rare occasions the royal family came out to town. And still they didn’t actually; all day they remained in the carriage, till they arrived at the venue. His father would hold a little speech, more waving, pictures, shaking hands with officials and commoners, back into the carriage and home again. Then wait 365 days to repeat it.

However, seeing the shops at close, even the tiles strategically placed over the dirt, sparked the child-like curiosity that had been slowly drilled out of him. Various ‘what’s this’ and ‘that’s absolutely marvelous’ later, they had halted at the bridge.

“Why here?” Hyungu questioned. His curiosity wasn’t reaching an end anytime soon.

The prince stared off into the distance. The black waters of the river gleamed white waves in the moonlight. Looking down at it, Hyungu felt a strong urge spread over every edge of his body, willing him to get on the railing and let the surges from below swallow him whole.

“This bridge is famous for couples, usually,” Giwook said. He leaned his head over the railing with half of his body. His bass case, dotted with a panther print, gave off the illusion that he was way smaller than in reality, “but usually people come here to lock promises.”

“We’ve got ours here too!” Dongmyeong beamed proudly, pointing at a collection of heart shaped locks, connected as a chain. “It’s mainly for symbolic purposes and it makes me feel like a main character in a coming of age movie with an iconic friend group.”

The other two cooed, Giwook wiping away an invisible tear with the tip of his pinky. They shared a hug and Hyungu had to admit he felt like he was from a wildly different planet. He wasn’t too experienced with close bonds, not ones with more than one person.

The night’s air brushed icily passed his skin. His chest felt heavy with the sudden realization of what common experiences he had been missing out on. The freedom to shape themselves into a version of themselves they wanted to become, not some knock-off recreation of what their duties wanted them to become.

He wanted to turn away, to stop himself from even more bitter and hurtful thoughts. Just then he felt an arm swing over his shoulder. He looked up, startled

Yonghoon blinded his vision with a grin. He asked, “Remember what you offered?”

“Care to remind me?” Hyungu retorted with a question of his own. Of course he remembered, but he felt a little devil on his shoulder, nudging him to act up ever so _slightly_.

Yonghoon rubbed his chin with his free arm, staring off over the river. He recited from his memory. “’I’ll give you my friendship’. Sounds familiar?” While Hyungu nodded with a deadpan, he rumbled around his pockets. “Sign here please, Kanghyunnie.”

“Do you always casually carry locks around with you?” “That’s strangely similar to an abductor. Yonghoon, are you a criminal by chance?”

“Only if I’ve stolen your heart,” the male cheekily fired, sticking his tongue out like that little gecko Hyungu had seen in some movie about an ice queen.

Hyungu rolled his eyes, once again. He might actually see his brain. From _his_ pocket he pulled a permanent marker – when going out, it was best to be prepared for any type of scripture, he believed. “Where do I sign?”

“As long as it’s on the lock, you’re fine,” Yonghoon gleefully informed him.

He waited patiently for the boy to finish. He uttered for Giwook and Dongmyeong to come over, letting them write before him. He, lastly, drew a heart in the middle of their names – a little childish, but they’d been awake for a few hours too many and the brain fog was slowly creeping up on them.

Yonghoon, ceremonially, presented their masterpiece to the blond. “The honor’s yours. Just know that you’ve made us a promise now and if you break it you’ll be cursed.”

“By who?”

“By me,” Yonghoon retorted. 

Hyungu felt his heart swell up. He’d been lucky enough to meet kind strangers that made him feel included, despite him being just as unknown to them. He wished he could’ve enjoyed the moment for longer, but alas, all good things come to an end.

“There he is!”

Hyungu pursed his lips at the voice. “I’ll see you again tomorrow. Right at this spot. Same time,” he sighed, already feeling the cramping in his legs. “I’m afraid that now, I’ve got to ‘blast’.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !! edited
> 
> my inspiration streak is at 2am with the tiktok banana song on loop. usually, when that's the case, i cannot grammar or spell. i just quickly fixed some errors :)

The first time Crown Prince Kang Hyungu had decided he was going to escape was when he was ten years old. He’d finished reading a copy of _The Little Prince_ , completed his tasks for the day and concluded that the adults in his life were cruel and bizarre. He snuggled his penguin plushy close to his chest before sprinting right out the front door, in plain view of all the palace staff and his parents.

The prince hadn’t gotten far; before reaching the front gates his personal guard had caught up to him. Thrown over his shoulder, the young prince got dragged back – knocking on the guard’s back with angry, little fists – and locked into his room.

When he was thirteen and certain he’d figured out every loophole he could possibly face, he made a second attempt. This time he’d finished reading _The Outsiders_ , decided class disparity was a social construct, violence lead to misery and he desperately searched for a sense of belonging. He’d combed his hair back with hair wax, worn all black and snuck out under the moon’s supervision.

With the dark in his favor, he got further than the first time, yet there was a tiny, lethal detail his attention had let slip. This detail was the security camera hung right by the back door. Similar to the past, he’d been dragged back inside, though he’d grown too tall to be carried. Instead, two guards linked their arms underneath his armpits. Hyungu got tossed like a rag doll, his feet leaving a trail in the dirt. It was rumored that they could hear the prince’s cries in the entire kingdom, the ground suffering a suspicious tremor.

From that day on, Hyungu knew he needed a solid plan and a backup in case it went wrong. After two years of planning and an extra one for bringing it perfection, all he needed was a golden opportunity. He decided to execute it in the most enraging way as he could; slow and steady. Dropping subtle hints for his parents, knowing they’d question the odd behavior at first and afterwards slap themselves on the forehead for not noticing it anytime sooner. He cackled at just the imagination.

Despite how cruelly Hyungu liked to display himself, he was actually very soft-spoken and pure-hearted on the inside. He could see beauty in the smallest of things, apologized to bugs for nearly stepping on them, then over-thought the fact if bugs lived in constant fear of being crushed all of a sudden. Usually he would willingly lock himself up inside his room, either reading or playing music. He wasn’t that much of a brainiac. He enjoyed philosophizing over the little things, envision an ideal world and live inside the scenery his mind created. Studying didn’t fit within that schedule; he didn’t enjoy it very much. 

With his chin prompted on the palm of his hand, the crown prince stared out his grand French window. He had a cushioning built in as that area was ideal for daydreaming, reading and sadly strumming his guitar into the sunset. The hurtful words of his parents still rung in his ears, however he knew that beneath them they were relieved their son had returned home safely. The moment he’d left the throne room, he could hear his mother exhale into her seat.

He’d lied about his whereabouts of course, telling his parents he’d wandered along the streets the entire six hours he’d been out. He couldn’t chop off the earliest stems of a possible friendship by exposing them. That didn’t mean he didn’t spill about it all to Harin. After all, it was only natural he told his best friend of his adventures.

Harin, with his sharp, yet friendly eyes. Harin, with his clean-cut clothing style. Harin, the first guest to Hyungu’s comedy skit that wasn’t a comedy skit in the first place. It seemed that to Duke Ju Harin, Prince Kang Hyungu’s pain was his fortune.

“You winked at a guard?!” The short haired male slapped his knee through a wheeze, though Hyungu couldn’t see what was so funny about it. “That’s bold, Kang.”

“I was tired and desperate,” he grumbled in response. He flopped down on his window seat, grabbing a pillow and smothering himself with it. “Please, I am embarrassed enough as it is.”

“You should’ve come and worked out with me,” Harin replied, though all Hyungu could hear was _‘I told you so’_ in a tremendously annoying and childish manner.

“No.” Was the quick and short response that cut the subject short. “Anyway, where did I leave off… Oh, right. There was a performance and I believe I’ve heard the choirs of Heaven. His voice was so mesmerizing.”

Hyungu melted at the memory. When he closed his eyes he could still hear the faint echoing of the boy’s voice playing through his head like a broken record. Over and over and over, he could hear the upbeat ballad sing its confession of undying love. Charming.

“And, what about this mystery singer?” Harin scooted over to the blond’s side, patting the fluffy cushions impatiently. “Does Hyungu have a crush? Love at first sight?” He wiped away a nonexistent tear with his pinky. “They grow up so fast.”

“He’s too tall,” _has a kind smile, a warm personality,_ he wasn’t going to add. Love at first sight was a lie made up by media and usually superficial, “and my name’s Kanghyun now. They don’t seem to have a clue. I told them I’d meet them tonight.”

“No way.” Harin clasped his gaping mouth. “You’re in shit, deep, deep shit.”

“Exactly,” Hyungu concluded with a snap of his fingers. “Isn’t this just great? They’ll get so mad that it’s impossible for me to take the throne.”

“Now, Hyungu – or Kanghyun, whoever you are now –, it doesn’t work that way,” Harin tutted him. He shook his head with the corners of his lips turned down. He’d gotten off the floor, rummaging through the various books decorating his friend’s bedroom. “All this is going to get you is probation, more guards and being room-bound for eternity.”

“Shit, you’re right.” He ruffled his blonde hair till it closely resembled a bird’s nest. He wanted to apologize to his stylist, however his frustrations needed an outing someway. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I really hoped I wouldn’t have to go this way, but… I should get married.”

Harin dropped the book, _A Brief History of the Royal Family,_ with a loud thud. “Excuse me?”

“Secret marriage is the only way to be permanently removed from the throne,” Hyungu calmly continued, as if it were the most logical thing he’d ever heard of.

“Excuse me?!” Harin repeated, wishing he’d heard it incorrectly, but no, the prince’s face was dripping with determination. “Hyungu!”

“I could propose to you right now, but I don’t believe either of us would be ecstatic about that,” he said. He took a paperclip from one of his stray files lying around, deforming it with utmost concentration. He then got down on one knee, presenting it with his head hung low. “Will you marry me, Ju Harin?”

“Never in your dreams,” Harin stated, flicking the improvised ring out the window. “It doesn’t even fit me. That’s a sign we’re not meant to be.”

“Worth a shot,” Hyungu shrugged, standing up straight again. “Then I’ll have to go to town to find my significant other. You should come along with me.”

“You really don’t have to do this,” the taller tried to reason with the younger, however his words bounced right back off his friend’s thick skull.

The prince firmly held Harin’s shoulders and stared straight into his eyes; he was serious. “Not too keen on the whole marriage idea, but it seems that’s our only option.”

“Or you could fill in your position and we’ll all be in less trouble,” the duke tried again. “Come on, you shouldn’t use someone like that. Marriage isn’t such a light subject.”

“I’m going to be betrothed anyway, so the subject is pretty light if you ask me,” Hyungu shrugged off the matter. “At least this way it’s somehow still my decision.”

Harin’s jaw clenched, as did his fists. H stared far out the window, massaging his temples. “Hyungu, you’ve never been one to act on impulse. Why now? Your crowning ceremony is a year away.”

“That’s an entire year to find a spouse!”

“Hyungu, Hyungu, Hyungu, you idiot,” the taller spoke, muffled by the hands covering his face. “The kingdom will be out of order.”

“The town’s very pretty at night,” Hyungu innocently added to the conversation. “The stars melt into the warm yellow lighting of the streets effortlessly. I’d love to show you, as words can’t explain their beauty.”

Nothing. Harin looked red in the face, not with anger; frustration and stress prickled his head as if it were wrapped in thorns. They had to pull it right, however he had no clue how they could balance their needs with their duty.

Hyungu had already given up long before. He was adamant on his goal and once he’d reached that point he’d make sure to persevere. A dangerous skill they’d learned from when they were young was how to manipulate. It was greatly important on the business side of being royalty and in politics too to convince without actually seeming to be doing so.

“I made them a promise and locked it to a bridge,” the blond sweetly brought up. “I heard from reliable sources that if you break such promises, one’s soul shall be cursed forever.”

Harin finally sunk into the window seat, limply hanging against the younger’s frame. “Okay fine, I’ll help you speed date.”

Hyungu smiled. “I swear on my life you won’t regret it. Also, can I get a high-five for my dumb stunt.”

“Yeah, okay, that was pretty nice,” Harin admitted, the stress having ebbed away with a newfound excitement. “I’m surprised the shy Kang Hyungu pulled that move. A wink and finger guns?”

“Totally worth getting grounded for,” Hyungu responded with a giggle. “I was going to ignore my punishment anyway.”

The two connected their hands with a clap, giddy for what the night would bring. 

<><><>

The clock in their long-abandoned ballroom struck midnight. In the classical fairytales that was the time when the princess had to make sure she returned home, or else her deception would be uncovered by the main love interest. Alas, Hyungu wasn’t a princess nor did he have a love interest to flee from. Having a love interest was a work in progress, though.

Another important fact was that during this time the guards switched shifts. The new ones would be too drowsy to catch the crown prince escaping, freshly awoken from their slumber. The old ones were too tired to even notice him coming by. It was only ideal that criminals didn’t know the exact hours during which the palace ran their business.

The ballroom was littered with luxuries; the ceiling was painted with golden swirls and royal blues that reached the marble floor via grandiose pillars; from the windows hung silk curtains in the shade of a summer sun. The crystal chandelier was a hazard to safety with how lowly it hung. Hyungu already imagined Yonghoon’s head colliding with it; he was too tall for their doors even. Giwook and Dongmyeong would do fine, both of them being on the shorter side.

Together with Harin he hid under the couch beneath the portrait of his great-great-grandfather. Hyungu had insisted countless of times to take it down, but per the king’s orders it stayed stubbornly in its place. When he’d asked why, all he got was a page number in their family history book. Apparently the man had done some good deeds for the country that washed out all the crimes he’d committed.

The painting was too big, the colors too dark and Hyungu had always felt as if the great old king was frowning down at him, as if he were disappointed in what a poor excuse of a crown prince he was. His eyes were sharp and strict, slicing through any enemy and straight through Hyungu’s soul. Though he hadn’t personally met the guy, he could tell he wasn’t what one would describe as fun to be around. He was rather glad his father was a softie when it regarded his only son; it was his mother who was to be feared.

Married into the throne from a noble family, their relationship hadn’t sailed smoothly, facing more storms than calms. She was harsher when it came to Hyungu’s short-comings and slip-ups, urging him to be the best he could be and if his best wasn’t enough she urged him to be better than that. Of course it was for the sake of the kingdom, for the sake of the greater good, however the prince wished the queen would take off her crown and be the mother he needed.

Laying on their bellies, they had the best view of the footsteps passing by the glass garden doors. Hyungu patted his friend on the back.

“This was more fun when we were seven,” he whispered.

“I’m enjoying myself,” Harin answered in the same tone. He pulled a face. “Although, my leg is cramping. If anything, this was _easier_ when we were seven.”

“Once the next pair will be the last one to pass,” Hyungu freed him from his agony, pointing ahead of them.

“How do you know that?” Harin asked.

“Lots of observing,” the prince replied. “We have four guards up front, then two at the front doors. They all leave in pairs, so three pairs have to walk by. That’s the third one. Once they pass, we have about five minutes to get to the other side of the garden.”

“Why there?”

“No cameras and on my daily walks I found a hole in the walls across the ballroom. Seems I’m not the only one trying to get out of here,” Hyungu mused.

Truth be told, the prince always dreaded the daily walks. Not because he hated being in nature or disliked physical activity that much; it was a pain to walk around with either a personal tutor who rambled into the next century or two guards whose breathing was barely audible to the human ear. Hyungu enjoyed the comfort of someone he was well-accustomed to and if that weren’t the case, he’d rather be on his own. 

He watched the third unit turn the corner. Once certain they were out of sight, he belly-glided out his hiding spot by using his legs as drive system and the wall as base. He hoped his shoes hadn’t left marks. He clambered up to his feet.

“Operation freedom is a go! Fuck restrictions!”

Hyungu held out a hand to help Harin up too. Together they made a run for the door, clicking open the lock – Hyungu noted it was strangely unsecured. Like toddlers crossing the street they double-checked both sides. It was as empty as a ghost town, the only life breathed into it the swaying of the trees in the wind. Hyungu motioned for Harin to run first, to which the elder easily agreed.

The problem wasn’t that it was a long distance, it was the fact that it was an open field. Even a mouse could’ve been spotted in the short, trimmed grass. They turned to each other, gave one another a handshake, put on their masks and pulled up their hoods. Ready for action.

Then they darted. Hyungu actually hadn’t cared about his surroundings then, all he had his mind set on getting where he was supposed to be. Harin followed his footsteps suite.

“Here, here, here,” the blond urged, pulling away the branch of a bush. It revealed a small exit, it seemed at first. However the closer they got, they realized that underneath the hole the dirt had been dug away. Hyungu believed that even someone as big as Yonghoon could crawl through it.

“You’re taller than me, we should check if you fit through first,” the prince spoke.

Harin nodded, slipping through effortlessly and soundlessly. Hyungu copied his actions. The air somehow felt fresher and lighter was the first thing he noticed once he was outside of his golden-caged prison. Outside the walls of insincerity. Hyungu felt the weight lift off his chest, giving him room to take deep, fulfilling breaths.

“I know the way,” Hyungu confidently spoke, though he, in fact, did not. Unless he could translate _Google Maps_ into a 3D view, they were screwed. He asked, “Harin, have you ever been out around here?”

“This doesn’t fall under the ground we own, so no,” Harin replied.

“But you’ve been visiting the palace quite some times,” the blond pointed out, remembering all the times the elder had been the light during his darkest days.

“To see you, who isn’t allowed to go out unsupervised,” the dark haired stated, swinging his arm around the younger. “It’s a miracle you know what the sky looks like.”

Hyungu slapped himself on the chest, faking a sniffle. “That one hurt.”

“I was raised to speak the truth,” Harin shrugged.

“Lies,” Hyungu sniffed accusingly. “Last week’s gathering. You faked being sick so your father wouldn’t try to set you up.”

“And rightfully so,” his friend defended his point. He rubbed his face, “but really, where do we go?”

“Follow the li–“ His sentence got cut off by a rumbling from the bushes, yet when he followed the noise it was empty. “What was that?”

Harin shook his head, stepping back. Hyungu frowned. It was impossible that they’d been followed; no one was awake. The schedules started at the crack of dawn, so unless they worked night shifts everyone was sound asleep.

The prince pulled his shoulders back. Finally, he was putting his nineteen years of classes to use. “I demand you show yourself,” he spoke with the most authority he could muster. If he used the tone sparingly, he could be convincing for a moment.

The two friends made eye contact. Creeping up on the bush, they both took a side. Hyungu’s throat felt tight with the heavy pulse his heart pumped. With gritted teeth and eyes clenched shut, he ripped the coverage away.

“Oh, meow,” Harin mumbled as a fluffy, red cat hissed at them. “Are we being too paranoid?”

“I believe we have every right to be,” Hyungu replied, bowing in apology to the feline. He carefully let the leaves fall back into their place, letting the creature rest before it would attack them. His breathing steadied ever so slightly, though he was certain that he wouldn’t ever be able to let his guard down as long as he was still chained to the life he lived. “We should probably dress less like criminals next time.”

“Agreed,” Harin said. He nudged his friend’s shoulder in a teasing manner, “but, Prince Charming, you’re running late. All the possible spouses probably had to be home by midnight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh to run off into the night with your equally life-dumb bestie


End file.
